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Snap reaches settlement in addiction lawsuit
Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, has resolved a high-profile lawsuit alleging its platform contributed to social media addiction, just days before the case was set to go to trial in Los Angeles.
Updated 21 January 2026 - The settlement was confirmed during a California Superior Court hearing, though financial or operational terms remain undisclosed.
Case background
The lawsuit, filed by a 19-year-old plaintiff identified as K.G.M., accused Snap and other major platforms of designing algorithms and notifications in ways that foster addiction and harm mental health. The case targeted Snap alongside Meta (Instagram), ByteDance (TikTok), and Alphabet (YouTube).
Trial proceedings and implications
With Snap's exit, the trial will proceed against the remaining defendants, with jury selection scheduled to begin on 27 January. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify, while Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was previously slated to appear before the settlement.
Legal experts suggest the case could challenge a long-standing defense used by social media companies: Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which shields platforms from liability for third-party content. Plaintiffs argue that the companies' design choices-such as algorithmic recommendations and push notifications-go beyond content moderation and directly contribute to user harm.
Industry response and ongoing litigation
Meta, TikTok, and Alphabet did not comment on Snap's settlement when contacted by the BBC. Snap remains a defendant in other consolidated addiction lawsuits pending in the same court.
The companies have previously dismissed claims that their platforms cause conditions like depression or eating disorders, citing insufficient evidence linking their designs to such harms.
What's next
The trial against Meta, TikTok, and YouTube will test whether plaintiffs can prove that algorithmic design choices constitute a direct liability, potentially setting a precedent for future cases.
